Team

Nohelys Flores

Office Manager - Human Resources

Nohelys thinks the song The First Noel was written about her, but is a little confused about that “king” part. She’s besties with Jimmy Butler; they bonded over a mutual hate of vegetables, adulthood, and Chicago-style hot dogs while getting pedicures this one time (where and when nobody “Nohelys”, as she likes to say). She also gets pretty annoyed if you ask her how she spells her name with no L’s in it, which is a little hypocritic-L. (That joke is just for me and I’m not sorry about it).

Amber Williams

Senior Manager - Research & Consulting

Amber has been known to hang out in cold baths reading trashy novels and nibbling on Cadbury Chocolate fingers, bouncing her insights off of her veritable legion of rubber ducks. She was featured in The Evening Standard.

Andrew Shepherd

Senior Manager - Research & Consulting

Andrew is our monochromatic friend; he only watches black and white era Disney, only dresses in black and, or white (he’s oddly specific about that conjunction), and rooted for the penguins in Madagascar. However, he will eat dark, white, or milk chocolate and is wearing blue jeans in this photo, so he’s also a liar – classic only-child behavior.

Jeremy Catledge

JumpStarter - Research & Consulting

Jeremy takes his passions very seriously. He loves sports; boxing, tennis, football. He loves art; music, painting, theater. He loves sweets… You know what, I think Jeremy’s real love is lists…  or messing with people. 

Noah Herrera

JumpStarter - Research & Consulting

Noah’s hero is Pythagoras, who combines two of his passions; boxing and philosophy. Does a bell ding in an empty ring, if there’s no one around to hear it? Does it matter when you’re getting punched in the face? These are the eternal questions. 

Wendell Thomas

JumpStarter - Research & Consulting

Wendell needs no embellishment – he’s currently questing for the best oatmeal raisin cookie (Garfield is his nemesis), believes ghosts are beings from another dimension (best take on phantasms I’ve heard), and loves learning languages (presumably comes in handy with the transdimensional entities). Wendell needs his own show and I would watch it.  

Paul White

Director - Research & Consulting

In his interview Paul claimed that he flew 3 dogs from South Africa to the UK, which is quite obviously impossible, considering the common golden retriever has the aerodynamics of a damp sponge, not to mention that the baggage charges would be astronomical. He also writes romance novels – the kind that would make a degenerate blush – so they must be good!

Jacqueline Flavin

Senior Manager - Research & Consulting

You know the old saying—igneous is bliss. Well, Jacqueline may have never seen Star Wars, Harry Potter, or several other movies everyone assumes everyone has seen… But she’ll cheerily say “may the quartz be with you!” and show you her rock collection instead – which holds much sedimental value. Did I mention she loves minerals? Everyone has their faults.

Latasha James

Head of HR - Operations

Latasha went to Hogwarts once. Rumour has it she’s still there; her kids have been divided between the houses, she holds regular BeanBoozeled competitions, and her smile tames even the gruffest Basilisk. Luckily they’ve got good Wifi, so that we get her company, too!

Matthew Lauer

Director - Creative Analytics Chicago

Matt goes deep and interrogates data and behavior with passionate-impartiality. Just like how his cats observe him – they are intensely committed to making him aware that they are watching him, but only objectively. We like to imagine they just sit across from each other in a room, staring, and silently taking notes.

George Wharmby

Associate - Research & Consulting

Much like a duck, George is an avid fan of the water – you’ll catch him out paddleboarding or surfing whenever the English weather permits. He thinks of the world like a duck, too – calm and serene on top but so much furious paddling going on underneath; that’s why he loves behavioral economics so much!

Allison Von Borstel

Senior Manager - Creative Analytics

When we say that Allison is an unusual character — having traveled to over 20 countries in search of the best tea, using Gilmore Girls as entrance music, and having vivid memories of competitively dancing on stage in Ireland … we’re not pulling your leg. She also loves research!

Geoff Kuehn

Director - Creative Analytics

Geoff seems to be forever on the go, wether it be playing golf around the world, or spending 6 nights a week coaching baseball, or driving intelligent business decisions for his clients. It’s no wonder he set up his own coffee company to fuel his fire!

David Akermanis

Director - Research & Consulting

“Hackermanis” used to moonlight as a champagne-swilling, disc jockey retro cop, boldly going where no music outside of the 90s has gone before. He also used to have a mustache, but he’s a big fan of Second Chances, which is probably why he moved into PR and advertising!

Aparna Rakesh

Manager - Research & Consulting

All Aparna ever wanted was to travel to exotic places, meet new, exciting people and then dance with them, so she joined several choirs, learned to salsa, impersonated Ariana Grande (badly), and ended up in a lot of ERs. Not necessarily in that order; all she has to remember it are the shot glasses she collected… which might explain that.

Nynena Gaye

Associate - Creative Analytics

Nynena was in an accident once. She ended up getting an ultrasound and the doctor told her that she had the most beautiful spleen he’d ever seen. He called in nine other doctors to check out how great her spleen was – they all gathered around to compliment her. It’s her biggest flex.

Jolai Michel

Associate - Research & Consulting

Jolai hates chocolate – she understands your argument but doesn’t care for it. Nor does she care for “boneless wings” – they’re just nuggets, people! It’s all terribly dramatic; probably why she was voted Most Likely to End Up On Broadway in school. Break a leg, Jolai!

Shelby Rohlff

Manager - Research & Consulting

Shelby dislikes even numbers so much she sets her alarm for 7:01 am (it’s cleaner that way), her TV volume at 29 (30 is simply too much), and even named her dog Livie meaning “olive tree” because the letters add up to 57 (her favorite number) and only monsters eat more than one olive at a time. She also likes ice cream.

Ruomei Feng

Data Scientist - Creative Analytics

People say that Ruomei’s daughter looks more like Ruomei than Ruomei does… Which keeps Ruomei up at night going through family videos, crunching and analyzing the probabilities, wondering if she can play the piano as well as her daughter, but just doesn’t know how… yet? It’s a whole temporal existential thing.

Taylor Tuscherer

Associate Director - Creative Analytics

Taylor is a sassy know-it-all who used to get bullied relentlessly for being a sassy know-it-all. His sweet revenge was landing a fancy big-city job to be a sassy know-it-all. Dolly Parton, cats, and Battlestar Galactica are the biggest arteries to his heart.

Beth Klein

Associate Director - Research & Consulting

Ever The Outsider, Beth once dressed up as a clown for Halloween, hoping to impress Stephen King, but he said she was doing IT wrong. In Desperation and Misery, she moved to Portland Just After Sunset (Full Dark, No Stars) to fight bears.

Teri Yip

Project Manager - Project Management

Teri is fast. So fast by the time you’ve read these few sentences she’s already read your email, written a screener, briefed a partner, checked the grids and poured herself a well earned glass of whiskey.

Clea Stone

Senior Manager - Research & Consulting

Princess Clea started at The Sound as an intern and after she thwarted the sinister Sith Lord Darth Vader we took her on as a Senior Associate. She is based in our Alderaan office.

Yunseon Tokko

Designer - Design

There’s more than meets the eye with Yun. He is a volcano of passion waiting to explode, sometimes in incredibly odd places. We hoped Yun would be the first bio we created to be 100% visual. No words. Only pictures and exquisite design. Please stay tuned. We see your true colours, Yun!

Elizabeth Lockwood

Head of UK - Research & Consulting

A born performer, Liz is always preparing for her next audience. If you’re on the tube and see a tap dancer with a mobile phone in one hand and a laptop in the other… that’s our busking Lizzie. Please spare her a pence or two.

Brynn Harris

Vice President - Research & Consulting

Brynn is the OG of all OG Sounders. She has been with us from the from day one… and taking credit for company smarts and calling them a Brynn-sight since day two!

She’s lucky she’s so clever or we’d have fired her ages ago.

Dave Rees

Vice President & Head of Film - Film

Dave is an award winning editor and ex drummer of the band SNFU. He dropped out of college, has never worn a suit and has lots of tattoos. When you enter ‘Generation X stereotype’ into Google he comes up just before Kurt Cobain.

Jenny Zaragoza

Senior Project Manager - Project Management

Jenny also project manages feeding times in the office. Since she’s started every person on the team has gained 7 pounds. We never knew how much we enjoy bagels, flavored coffee creamer and cheesy bread. Thank you Jenny.

Connie Walker

Data Architect - Creative Analytics

Connie is nicer than anyone else. Anywhere. Ever. We haven’t broken the news to Dave Rees who used to hold this honor at The Sound.

Laura Davis

Senior Project Manager - Project Management

Laura has the 6th sense; she sees respondents even when there are only people in the room. When she looks you firmly in the eye you’re literally seconds from being in a focus group.

Pablo Carvalho

Designer - Design

We noticed Pablo color coordinates his lunch to his shoes. A recent study determined people with neuroses may be more inclined to be creative geniuses. Hmmm…

Mindy Cultra

Vice President & Head - Research & Consulting

Alexis Stephens

Lead Project Manager - Project Management

Being both arty and organized, Alexis loves to manage Chicago projects with a crafty flourish. Don’t be surprised to receive an artisanal focus group schedule and hand made screener with a bird on it.

Raya Massengill

Senior Consulting Editor - Film

Raya has requested her bio be turned into an infographic by one of our 5 designers who spend all day making our reports all beautiful and visual. Given they’re quite busy she’s going to have to wait a while.

Jerusha Bennett

Vice President - Innovation + Brand Strategy

What can we say about Jerusha…

In Hebrew the meaning of the name Jerusha means: Married.

In Biblical the meaning of the name Jerusha means: Banished, possession, inheritance.

Take from that what you will!

Harjot Bassra

Vice President & Project Manager - Operations

Harjot has more than 10 years’ experience of organizing stuff. She can read minds, see through walls, eats light, and sh*ts magic. She was invented in a lab in 1947.

Rebecca Roth

Director - Research & Consulting

Rebecca is a craft master. And her crafts are many and equally mastered. She’s a potterist, a sewerist, a ceramicist and an IKEAist. She’s also a brilliant researcher with a background in anthropology and digital ethnography but she doesn’t let that small detail outshine her ability to assemble a FÄRLÖV with her eyes closed.

Simon Dannatt

Global CEO - Executive

With over 200 years experience, Simon joined The Sound from Cello where he was President of Cello USA and CEO of the Value Engineers US. With his English accent and silver fox hair he’s known affectionately around the office as ‘the old English man with grey hair’. Claims to have a limp from running marathons but we think it’s a war wound.

Greg Raposa

Lead Editor - Film

Greg lives his life according to the latest from Big Data, and all the numbers point to ice cream. When he’s not wrapping his head around fuzzy math, he’s bringing stories to life through film and animation. He lives in New York City with his very attractive dog, Bosco.

Sandy Chouchani

Vice President - Research & Consulting

Sandy is part of the Vancouver team, but, strangely, is based many many miles away in Buffalo.
Which makes me sit and wonder, like, why?
Why you left me
Oh Sandy.
Oh Sandy, baby, someday
When high school is done
Somehow, someway
Our two worlds will be one

David Katz

Business Manager - Operations

David’s real name is David Cats but in 1987 he changed the spelling to attract chicks. He has not looked back since.

Issa Braithwaite

Manager - Research & Consulting

The Sound’s one and only yacht-rocker in residence, Issa is an accomplished mariner and a distinguished matelot. Which is to say … the man knows his way around a sailboat. Starboard, portside, if you can name it, he’s got a nautical knack for it. But it’s not just knots that Issa is deft at untying. You should see him deconstruct a project brief. Aye Aye.

Alex McFadden

Lead Designer - Design

Alex sees the world in colour, form and function like Neo sees the Matrix.

Is he the one? We certainly think so.

Sophie Welsman

Director - Research & Consulting

When people join the Sound one of the first things they get excited about is their bio on this website. Well Sophie was no exception. Sophie was so excited about her bio that she kept asking and asking and asking for it to be written. Well creativity, like insights or strategy, doesn’t just arrive by magic. You need to be informed, inspired and in the mood… or the outputs might be a bit boring. We don’t do boring at The Sound. Sophie knows that now.

Vlad Goutman

Senior Accounting Manager - Operations

Vlad imputes financial information. This means we get to call him Vlad the Imputer.

Sonja Socknat

Manager - Research & Consulting

With the recent advent of fake news and alternative facts, i just realized that these bios are really ahead of the game; I’ve been writing fake bios for over 10 years. Anyway this is Sonja and she recently changed the spelling of her name from Sonya to appear more interesting.